Social media in the classroom is a touchy subject. Many teachers feel that students’ lives are already inundated with social-networking technology — why bring it into school, too? But the degree to which students are participating in and influenced by social media convinces me otherwise. Social media can be full of bubblegum distractions, but it is also a robust forum for communication and collaboration. By using social media in our classrooms, we can model its constructive uses and help students learn how to use its powers for good.

First, enforce the same rules you would when writing and communicating on paper. Students should use correct grammar, spelling and usage. Provide sample sentence starters for responding to others clearly and reasonably. Give students deadlines for work, keeping them focused on their tasks. Assess their work. Ensure high standards, no matter the format.

If you want to use social media tools in a protected, closed environment, Edmodo is the best place to start. Edmodo replicates popular social media sites, but within a limited group, so content is not public to the world. Edmodo can become a complete communication and document management system, but you can start off slow.

When you sign up for an account, you create a “classroom,” which looks (and works) like Facebook. Teachers invite students, so strangers cannot join. You can begin by discussing a topic in class and then making a post on that topic on Edmodo, allowing students to respond. You can progress to posting homework assignments and accepting homework, sharing online articles or other media, allowing students to help each other with work, tracking your grades and creating surveys for assessments. All work is stored in the “cloud” and can be accessed at any time. Teachers always have control and can moderate inappropriate posts, so positive online behaviors can be encouraged.

If you work with older students, consider Twitter. Since it’s a “real” environment — not a simulated one — it’s motivating for students since everyone can read their posts. In your planning, think about the Twitter format: the 140-character message. I’ve used Twitter with students to teach brevity in writing. We tweeted our six-word memoirs (see the lesson plan). My students have also tweeted to promote their own articles in journalism class, and they have role-played what messages Hamlet and Ophelia might have sent to each other.

There is an array of other ways to use Twitter in the classroom: summarizing, crafting headlines, writing news and announcements, exploring themes (aka, the hashtag, using the symbol #), connecting to authors or other classrooms, reporting live events, commenting on a film or analyzing how the Twitter community shapes news. These uses are not only cutting edge, but they also teach higher-order skills. Encourage students to create their own Twitter handle for your class, different from any they might have for their personal use. You, as the teacher, should do the same.

Be cautious when using social media with students. Steer clear of Facebook and Instagram, which are primarily social and generally blocked by the DOE filter. Don’t show your personal profile on any social media platform if you share information you wouldn’t want students to see. Many teachers wisely use pseudonyms or just first names in their profiles. Review the DOE’s social media guidelines and resources page, which also has permission forms and activity guides.

Social media is a powerful form of communication that is greatly influencing our culture. Integrating it into the classroom is sure to bring many teachable moments that will benefit our students in the long run by preparing them to better navigate the world in which we live.